Bake sale ideas

Are roast and bake really interchangeable, or are there subtle differences? Bake sale ideas this article, we’ll break down the multiple meanings of both roast and bake, what the difference means for the home cook, and which term you may be more likely to encounter on menus. The word bake is usually used when a dish is covered in sauce or cooked in a covered pot.

What is the difference between roasting and baking? Bake and roast are often used to mean the same thing, and for good reason. In cooking, both roast and bake commonly mean to cook something in an oven. Historically, roasting was done on a spit, with the food being directly exposed to the fire, while the word baking was applied to cooking done in a dish.

Obviously, you can still roast something on a spit, but today home cooks most commonly encounter the word roast in the context of recipes for oven-cooked meats or vegetables. At the same time, some recipes use the word bake for similar or even the same preparations. Here are some of the distinctions that often lead to one word being used instead of the other. Sauce or no sauce If a dish cooked in the oven is covered in a sauce, it’s usually described as baked. In contrast, it’s more common for one that’s just coated in oil or another fat to be described as roasted. Covered or uncovered Often, a dish described as roasted is one that’s cooked on a rack or in an uncovered pan—allowing it to be exposed to the heat to become browned and crispy. When a dish is cooked in the oven covered, it’s usually described as baked.